Languid
by Valentine Adiaphora
Summary: Most people simply called him "lazy." She preferred the term "languid." There was something more elegant, more sensual to his demeanor. Intelligence is sometimes the basis for attraction. ShikaSaku.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto. Obviously.

Languid.

That was the word she thought described him best, although everyone else routinely called him 'lazy.' True, he wasn't easily motivated, and generally tried to avoid anything he deemed "troublesome," which included a wide variety of activities and social interactions. It was also common to find him sleeping at inappropriate times, or cloud-gazing instead of arriving where he was expected to be.

They had next to nothing in common, him with his slouching walk and deliberate manner of avoiding exertion, and frenetically active and busy medical nin Haruno Sakura. Although she considered herself intelligent, and certainly one of the most knowledgable medical ninjas in the Five Nations after studying under Tsunade-sama, Nara Shikamaru was genius, plain and simple. While Sakura was often ruled by her emotions, try as she might to conceal that fact, he seemed adept at maintaining his cool, detached demeanor. It was far more befitting of a shinobi. For that much she admired him.

She'd always had a fondness for tall, dark and aloof. Having been infatuated with Uchiha Sasuke for what had seemed like forever, and finally coming to the realization that he was only ever interested in himself, she had been brokenhearted. It took a long time to recover from the disappointment of unrealized childhood dreams. Letting go of her first love, despite it having been unrequited, was agonizing. She threw herself completely into her work, leaving little time for social activities, and much less for thoughts of anything even remotely romantic.

Somehow, a few weeks ago, she'd found herself noticing the way that Shikamaru walked. There was something about the relaxed manner in which he strolled, hands in his pockets, head tilted either skywards or towards his feet, that captured her attention. He seemed to find his way without his eyes, and almost always appeared lost in thought.

"What could he be thinking about so intently?" she wondered, "and furthermore, why am I suddenly so interested in what that lazy, responsibility shirking, complaint enthusiast is thinking about anyway?"

It was true that recently their paths had begun to cross with greater frequency. His clan, long renowned for their expertise in the healing arts had recently discovered yet another medicinal use for the afterbirth of their deer. Despite his initial reluctance to be dragged from his generally preferred outdoor activities, the Hokage had convinced him to work in the medical labs in the research department of the hospital, alongside her assistant Shizune, to examine the potential of the malleable blood cells in combatting certain degenerative chakra infections. He protested, but both he and the Hokage knew he would accept her offer of assignment.

As a result, Sakura had begun to find herself walking to and from the medical department in his company. Their apartments were in proximity to one another's in the village, and now that he was on assignment in the medical department, they were working similar hours.

Long hours, much to the shadow-user's chagrin.

Although, if he was completely honest with himself, there were worse people in whose company he could begin and end each long workday.

Sakura was not as flighty or boisterous as his childhood friend Yamanaka Ino, who constituted the majority of his exposure to women his age, aside from times when he was assigned to be the escort of the Kazekage's elder sister when she was in town on embassy business from the Hidden Village of the Sand. Temari, as she was called, was an interesting woman, but altogether too masculine to really be considered as such. Ino, on the other hand, was incredibly feminine. The topics she often chose to discuss were generally uninteresting to him, although having been her teammate for so long, he knew when to interject with the appropriate "yes," "hn" or "ah." To avoid doing so meant a barrage of insults and complaints of laziness and inattention, and since such interaction was troublesome, he complied.

But Sakura- she was more the type to hang back and observe. She was clearly intelligent, and had all of the appropriate manners that were to be expected of a kunoichi, particularly one whose training under the Hokage required regular interaction with several people of significant importance, both politically and socially. She had been quite shy and unsure of herself, it had seemed, when they were younger. Now he had begun to wonder whether the shyness had simply been reservedness.

"In any case," he thought to himself, "we have been walking for more than ten minutes, and aside from greeting me and asking about the lab progress, she has said little else. I suppose I don't mind the lack of conversation, because forced pleasantries are so very troublesome... then why... Why do I feel as though I must put forth effort here? Silence is generally more than fine with me, and this silence is hardly uncomfortable. Quite the opposite, in fact. But she keeps on giving me these sidelong glances, as though she wants me to say something..." he sighed inwardly, "Well, if I must..."

"So, have you come up with an antidote for that poison sample sent to us from the Sand Village last week yet?" he questioned, hands still stuffed in his pockets, eyes-lidded, head cocked slightly in her direction.

His voice was low and even, and were it not for his having inclined his head toward her, she might be uncertain as to whether he was actually speaking at all. The sudden conversational effort on his part startled her for a second, before she smiled warmly and replied.

"The Suna poison took me about two days worth of lab time to develop an antidote for, actually," she paused, tucking her long pink bangs behind her ear, "I had to work long after general lab hours, but Tsunade-sama generally allows me the freedom to stay as late as is deemed necessary. The Sand Village has very high expectations, given antidotes I've developed in the past. I felt it was important not to disappoint them when they specifically requested my expertise."

Shikamaru mumbled something to himself that sounded like one of his most familiar responses, "What a drag."

Sakura tsk-ed. "Why should you say that? I have several other projects that I am working on concurrently. Aside from the expectations of the Kazekage and his village, and their obvious need, it made the most sense to resolve their issue as quickly as possible. I don't need to be distracted from my other work any longer than necessary. So you see, it was actually less troublesome to put in more effort initially," she smiled, "although I'm sure my work ethic is a bit different from yours."

She crossed her arms and smiled to herself, content that she had cleverly responded to him, while simultaneously predicting what his reaction to her choosing to work late might be. Although their morning walks weren't generally overflowing with conversation, Sakura looked forward to the times when he would break their easy silence and initiate conversation on his own. He was not the most talkative of people, but that was certainly not something she wasn't accustomed to, having been on a team with Kakashi and Sasuke.

Kakashi tended to stick to what conversation was absolutely necessary, when he wasn't otherwise engaged with reading Icha Icha Paradise. Sasuke, on the other hand, was aloofness embodied. He rarely had anything to say, necessary or otherwise, and when he did speak, one was often treated to an insult at best. Only Uzumaki Naruto, her closest and most exasperating male friend, had ignored his teammates' general lack of social interaction and countered it with an almost steady stream of words, laughter, jokes, playful attempts to have someone say something, anything, that would acknowledge him in some way. When that seemed to achieve nothing, he would shout about becoming the next Hokage, and his ninja way, with such enthusiasm that Sakura could hardly help loving him, in spite of his obnoxious optimism. It was contagious, as she herself had learned.

Almost anyone that came into contact with Naruto was eventually affected by his sincere and bottomless will to help and connect with others. His sincerity and unwillingness to go back on his word was his Ninja Way. It pleased Sakura to no end that he was being groomed for the position of next Hokage. Despite his occasionally being beyond daft to the emotional and psychological temperature around him, Naruto had the uncanny ability to simply spread his sincerity with absolute bluntness and almost brute force. It was funny, really. It was inescapable.

Shikamaru had found himself suddenly being the one to steal the sidelong glance, noticing that after folding her arms in satisfaction, Sakura was clearly lost in her own reverie.

"She really is quite clever, although not nearly as slick with words as she'd like to think she is," he thought to himself, amused. "I can't begin to fathom why anyone, even under the circumstances, would actually want to work as much and as often as she does, but she doesn't just work, she relishes the work."

Shikamaru found this bit of information rather intriguing. Despite his reputation for overall laziness, he found quite a few things worth doing, one of which being the art of solving puzzles. He figured that dissecting a poison, particularly an incredibly complicated one, designed specifically for use on ninjas and their abilities, then coming up with an antidote was a great deal like solving a puzzle. Yes, Sakura was a clever girl.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I still do not own Naruto. **

Chapter 2

Hesitantly, Nara pulled his eyes away from her profile. "She really is striking. It had escaped me, before now, I suppose," he thought to himself. "Ah... troublesome. I needn't be focusing my attention on something so silly. We're colleagues. I doubt she'd be comfortable with my spoiling what ease there is between us by voicing such a thought. I'll keep it to myself," he decided. There was a slight pang in his chest when he did so, but choosing to ignore that (heartburn, certainly, nothing more) he spoke instead.

"It seems we have arrived," he said, removing one of his pocketed hands and gesturing lazily towards the medical building. "I suppose I will see you later, then." He tilted his head low, in an almost bow, and turned away from her, disquieted by the tug he felt to stay a bit longer. It didn't matter. She was always in a hurry to get to work on time. She was probably already slowed by keeping pace with him on the way in.

Sakura bowed her head in return, but Shikamaru had already spun on his heel and was walking away from her. She wondered for a moment if she had somehow offended him. It wasn't like him to seem rushed, or to be in any particular hurry to get into the medical labs. She sighed. Wasting thought on it wouldn't do. She had several complicated poisons to break down this morning, and already she would barely make it to the lab on time. She briskly resumed her path, and made her way to the poison lab with her thoughts refocused on her work.

Several hours later, Sakura peered through her microscope and sighed. Perhaps she hadn't offended him at all. Perhaps he'd found her response annoying. Sasuke had always determined her to be annoying, after all. Her unwanted attentions and attempts to gain his affections weren't even deemed worthy of response, most of the time. Of course, that was before he'd left the village, a long time ago. She sighed again. Perhaps it was no different with Shikamaru. It wasn't as if she had anything to compare it to. After falling in love with Sasuke as a child, he'd left the village, leaving his teammates equal parts brokenhearted and determined to bring him back safely. Sadly, Sasuke had only drifted further and further away, and Sakura couldn't help but wonder how she'd ever been blind enough to think she had a chance to win his affections. He was so completely consumed with his desire for power and revenge, he couldn't see anything else. Sakura threw herself into her training, into her studies, into her work. She rebuffed the attempts of both her teammate, Naruto, and fellow ninja Rock Lee, to win her heart. Although she felt affection for both men, she hadn't seen either as more than a friend. Her romantic inclinations had seemed to disappear along with Sasuke.

"But why am I reflecting on all of this now?" she wondered. "It's been ages since I put aside these thoughts. Sasuke was my teammate. Perhaps even my friend, in his own way. I was infatuated with him, a childhood crush, nothing more. His rejection should no longer be such a painful wound. I am not that little girl any longer." Sakura sat back from the microscope she had been gazing through, her thoughts clearly not on the slide at hand. Why had she abandoned all thoughts of emotional attachment when Sasuke had finally made one treacherous move too many to be thought redeemable? And why, of all things, was it only suddenly occurring to her that she had left one aspect of her life so conspicuously empty?

"Kami..." she whispered to herself, "What am I doing? The past is the past. I don't have time for this foolishness." She steeled herself, attempting to compartmentalize, as she always had, and returned to her work. She couldn't help that a quick image flashed through her mind just as she leaned back into her work. It was Shikamaru, the easy tilt of his head in her direction when he spoke to her this morning, the lidded eyes, the low rumble of his tone. She inhaled sharply, annoyed with herself, and shook her head, clearing the thought. "Back to work, Haruno," she admonished herself. "We have things to do."

It was hardly half an hour later that she sensed his familiar chakra signature, there, behind her. She tilted her head slightly, confused. Why was he in the doorway of her lab? She kept her back to him, and smiled softly to herself, hardly realizing she'd done so.

"Can I help you with something, Nara?" she asked, still not facing him.

"Perhaps you could, Haruno," he drawled, "I seem to be working alone for the rest of the day, as Shizune has some paperwork that requires her to be in the office with Lady Tsunade."

"I see. What did you need my assistance with, exactly?" she said, turning around to face him, carefully arranging her face in a neutral expression. Why was her pulse quickening?

He stood in the doorway, leaning casually on the frame, slouching to the left, as though he might be considering going to sleep right then and there. His thick eyelashes and heavy lids made it appear as though he may actually already have his eyes closed, his chin pointed downward towards his feet, avoiding her gaze. After a moment's pause, he looked up, his deep brown eyes meeting her green ones directly for the first time that day. He found himself momentarily stunned. He'd forgotten how incredible her eyes were- that that unnerving shade of, was it mint? Seafoam? Jade?- how wide and honest, rimmed with thick dark lashes, and how clear, sincere...

He shrugged, quickly regaining his composure. Sakura hardly noticed the shift in him, he simply lifted his shoulder off of the doorframe and smirked. "I am exhausted, almost ready to fall asleep, actually. Shizune normally brews another pot of coffee and brings it to the lab before now, but she left in a hurry, and..."

"Wait," Sakura interrupted, a bit agitated, "Are you saying you came here and disrupted my work because you need someone to brew you coffee?"

He seemed a bit sheepish, standing up straighter, scratching the back of his neck and tilting his head back down towards the floor.

"I, uh, well... No. Not exactly," he mumbled. "Never mind. I didn't mean to disturb you. My apologies." He began to back away from the doorway, and was about to turn back down the hallway when she stood up from her stool and gestured for him to wait.

"It's alright, Shikamaru. I'm sorry for being short with you, I suppose I'm tired as well. It's been a long day. What was it you needed my help with? I'm almost done here anyway."

Shikamaru smirked to himself again, then looked her over calmly. She was playing right into his hands.

"I was wondering if you would be willing to join me for a cup of coffee, actually," he said, voice clear and controlled, belying his hidden nervousness.

Despite generally being able to predict anyone's actions and reactions for several steps ahead, asking Haruno Sakura for a casual date had really only two potential outcomes, both of which made his chest twinge. She could say yes, and assume that he was simply interested in her company as a friend, which would mean he would need to exert more effort to imply his interest. Troublesome. Or, she could say yes and understand immediately that by making the effort to ask, he was clearly interested in her company in a more important sense. Also troublesome, as he had only just admitted this to himself under an hour ago. He had assumed that she was too polite to say no, as it wasn't in her nature really, to deny any friend's request unless it was absolutely unavoidable.

Sakura remained unmoving, her eyes clouded with surprise, for a few beats. She looked him over in much the same way he had done her just before making his request.

"Alright, Nara," she said, turning her back to him and gathering her things. "Just give me a few moments to shut things down around here."

She could feel the heat of a blush beginning to spread across her nose and cheeks and smiled to herself.


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Thank you for the positive reviews thus far. I know that this story has a bit of a slow burn, and a certain tension to it rather than a lot of action, but I feel it's a bit more realistic this way. Further reviews and suggestions are appreciated, as this is my first work, after all. Enjoy!_

"I wonder what inspired this sudden outpouring of social behavior?" Sakura thought to herself as she moved deftly around the poison lab, quickly sorting and labeling a few ingredients and locking them into the refrigerated cabinet on the far side. She rolled up the scrolls she had been working on and moved the stack of slides she'd had out into their respective places on her desk, humming quietly to herself as she did so. "Well, I may not know his motivation, but even when he's quiet, he makes good company, I suppose," she decided. "Anyway, I could use a cup of coffee. I guess I didn't annoy him this morning after all." This last thought cheered her a bit. "When will I learn to stop overanalyzing and letting my emotions cloud everything? Ha... at least it's contained, not written all over my face, like it always used to be... though we still struggle _quite_ a bit with our temper, don't we?" She giggled softly, turning around.

"What's so funny?" Shikamaru asked, hands now stuffed back into his pockets.

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking about something from earlier. I'm all set here, shall we?"

"After you, woman." He smirked, gesturing toward the doorway. "Or I should say, _ladies first_."

Sakura bit her tongue, as her initial reaction to Nara's nonchalant chauvinism was to tell him off, but decided against it, preferring instead to see whether it was an attempt at chivalry. After knowing Shikamaru for most of her life, and having spent more time around him as of late, she was beginning to wonder whether his reputation as a chauvinistic pig was simply a misunderstood sense of politeness and respect for the fairer sex. She stepped through the door, allowing him to follow her, but stopped momentarily so that they could walk side-by-side.

"So, did you have someplace in particular in mind for us to get coffee? There's an excellent tea shop about a block from here that serves a good cup, as well as espresso. Ino and I go there after hospital shifts quite often. They're usually not too busy either."

Shikamaru stretched his arm back behind his head, scratching his neck absentmindedly again, "I had thought I'd ask you where you'd prefer, since you're likely more familiar with the area shops than I am. If you say you like this place, it sounds fine to me," he drawled.

Sakura liked the way he spoke, that slow and easy manner of speaking so inconsistent with his incredibly sharp mind. She imagined that most people with that sort of brilliance would be overwhelmed with the amount of thoughts and ideas rushing around in their heads, but everything about Shikamaru seemed easy and deliberate. He was never rushed, but took everything in, and responded in kind, even during simple conversations. She laughed inwardly. Even the way he spoke was languid. It reminded her of her first thoughts upon seeing him this morning. "Less like a deer," she thought, "much more like a cat." The idea of Shikamaru stretching in a sunlit window, sleeping all day like a spoiled house cat made her giggle aloud.

"Cheerful, are we?" he asked. "You seem to find everything amusing today. Care to share your mirth?" he smiled.

"Well actually..." she said, hesitating a moment, "I was thinking something rather funny about you."

"Indeed? I suppose it's insulting?" he responded, seemingly unfazed.

"That depends on how easily one is offended," she replied, attempting to keep from giggling again.

"Ah, it's troublesome to get irked easily. Anger is usually a wasted emotion, and I don't really take myself too seriously."

"In that case, I was comparing you to a house cat, in my mind. I was picturing you stretching in your windowsill, content to laze about all day and exert very little effort at all, as you would _surely_ have a master who doted on you and spoiled you _terribly_," she finished, unable to hold in her laughter.

Shikamaru smiled a good-natured smile. It was rather funny. In fact, he had often eyed his mother's enormous black house cat, so fat it's belly nearly dragged on the floor, and wondered how it was fair that she should constantly nag him and force him out of bed while keeping as a pet something so clearly lazy and useless.

"I imagine I would be fat, if that were the case. Fat and spoiled. And why shouldn't I be doted on?" he glanced at her sidelong again, noticing the blush rising in her cheeks. He smirked to himself. "I _am_ rather charming, you know."

Her cheeks were blazing, she could feel it. "Yes, Nara, I will concede that you are charming. You're not the only observant one around here," she laughed. "Perhaps we should call you Neko from now on, rather than Shika." She laughed again. Shikamaru looked at her again in that amused, appraising way, and she felt warm.

"I wonder if you've observed that we are at the coffee shop then, Miss Haruno?" he smirked. "Allow me," he added, opening the door to the shop and indicating with a tilt of his head that he was being chivalrous, waiting for her to enter.

Sakura stepped inside, gratefully inhaling the aroma of the pleasant shop. The smells of coffee, bitter espresso, and jasmine tea filled the air, along with baking sweets. The place was small, filled with dark wood and comfortable overstuffed couches and chairs. It had been arranged much like someone's overcrowded living room, dotted with small tea tables and low coffee tables. In the back corner, near a window, was Sakura's favorite nook. She often came here with Ino after long shifts at the hospital, but just as frequently came alone with a medical text or scroll and enjoyed the quiet warmth and charming atmosphere in her little corner.

Shikamaru looked around the shop, noticing that Sakura was making her way directly to a quiet corner with an overstuffed green love seat and a low coffee table facing a large brown arm chair. He followed, catching a whiff of what smelled like baking pastries, and admired the way she fluidly navigated the room. She had a sort of swing to her walk he'd caught himself regarding with more and more frequency as of late. He smiled to himself. It had been weeks, he realized, that he had found himself praising her many attributes in his mind- the way she could allow a silence to be comfortable in their early morning walks, the gentle femininity of her voice and appearance which belied her brute strength and quick temper, the adorable nervous twitch and tendency to bite her lip when she allowed her carefully constructed neutral look to slip... he liked to look at her. She was beautiful in a way that drew one's attention to her, without all of the flashiness of a girl like their friend, Ino. Sakura was beautiful because of the energy that radiated from her. Sharp mind, loyal friend, determined medic, brilliant kunoichi... lost in his thoughts, he realized they were both standing in the corner now, she near the love seat, he standing next to the antique-looking brown armchair.

"Are you going to sit?" he asked lazily.

"Of... of course," she stuttered, only just realizing he was waiting for her before he would sit down himself. She'd been distracted a moment, trying to decide if she should take her usual spot in the high-backed chair, or take a spot on the love seat, leaving room should he want to sit next to her... "No, no. That's silly," she thought hurriedly, "We're not on a date or anything... this is just coffee... two friends, having coffee." She sat down in the center of the love seat, hands twiddling a bit nervously. "Oi, Sakura, pull it together!" she muttered to herself.

"Hmm?" queried Nara, already stretched out in the armchair, legs crossed at the ankles. He was tempted to put them up on the coffee table, but thought better of it, as a waitress was approaching them, a wide smile on her face.

"Good evening, Haruno-san! I see Yamanaka-san isn't with you today?" the waitress spoke warmly, eyeing the handsome former Proxy General and known war hero in the seat across from one of her favorite patrons. "I believe you are Nara Shikamaru? Of the 4th Great Shinobi War fame?"

Shikamaru shifted in his seat, addressing the middle aged woman with a small smile and slight bow of his head. "So I am told," he replied humbly. He scratched behind his head absently, obviously a bit embarrassed by the attention being drawn to him. The waitress smiled again, and turned back to Sakura.

"Would you like your usual, Haruno-san? A double espresso and the banana cake?"

"Oh, yes please, Kira-san. Although, is that toasted coconut that I smell?"

"Yes, miss. We've made toasted almond and coconut cake as well today. Shall I bring that instead of the banana cake?"

"Hai, that would be lovely. Thank you," she replied, her green eyes shining with genuine warmth.

"And for you, Nara-san?"

"I'll have the same as the young lady, thank you, Kira-san," he drawled. The woman smiled at him. Her Miss Haruno was doing quite well for herself, it seemed.

The Nara clan was well known for their many accomplishments, but this young man was by far their most promising heir yet! Assistant Head Strategist alongside his equally brilliant (albeit more experienced) father, a proxy general under the Kazekage in the last war, one of the first young men of his age group to be promoted to the level of Jounin, and known for being a remarkable researcher in the medical field as well. Not to mention his sometime work with codes... leave it to Haruno-san to snag someone as brilliant as he was handsome. And what lovely manners!

"I shall return shortly with your order." With that, she bustled away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I wish I owned Naruto, however, you know, I just don't.**

**Chapter 4**

"So," Shikamaru smiled, as the woman left their corner, "What is it that needs pulling together, Sakura?" He could tell she had hoped he'd been distracted from her agitation by the previous interruption, judging from the telling blush spreading over her face for the third time since he'd been in her company. A blush which he couldn't help thinking to himself was rather charming. It reminded him that beneath the battle-hardened exterior and cool medical professional's mantle, there was still a gentle girl of twenty-two. A girl whose laughter was less frequent than it had been not too long ago, but just a lovely and apt to make his chest tighten as it had been when they were only thirteen and her thoughts were filled with the brooding former teammate of hers, that miserable Uchiha.

"Ah, jealousy... what a drag. No sense in dwelling on the past," he thought to himself, "Better to be present, focus on her now, here."

Sakura fiddled with the strap on her purse, her eyes downcast. Demure and girlish under Shikamaru's lidded gaze, she took a breath to steady herself, and decided to just be out with it. He more than likely could read her every thought and movement with that damn tactical genius mind of his anyway.

"I wasn't sure whether this... this... coffee... was..." she sighed, her voice trailing off a bit, "Whether you intended, to... um..." Her bangs had fallen back in to her face, and rather than finish the sentence, she took another steadying breath and pulled out her hair tie, her layered pink locks falling forward onto her shoulders and spilling down her back before she pulled her fingers through them, catching what she could to pull back into a slightly messy bun at the nape of her neck. She tucked the shorter front pieces back behind her ears, and when she looked up, found that Shikamaru was looking at her intently, with a slight smile and rather amused look on his face.

"You didn't finish your sentence, Haruno-san," he stated teasingly. He tilted his head at her, practically daring her to say what he almost certainly knew she'd intended.

"Shikamaru, really. This is, I mean, this is... awkward for me. Please..." her brows knitted together now, the blush deepening and spreading across her nose and cheeks, her neck and chest warming as well.

This was ridiculous. Since when did Shikamaru make her feel like such a babbling fool? "Since you opened your mouth without having a single thought in mind, you idiot," she thought to herself angrily, "He's a genius, and never wastes words, and here you are stuttering on like it's your first time out with a guy in your life." With that thought in mind, she immediately stopped her fiddling and looked directly at him, determination renewed. Nara looked on, finding her rapidly cycling blushes and emotions just beneath the surface of her relatively even exterior both curious and entertaining. He could only hope she wasn't about to treat him to that infamous temper of hers, which was seen rather rarely these days, though he was certainly tempting fate by teasing her so. Seeing she was possible a hair's breadth away from telling him off, he relented.

"Sakura, I'm sorry. Perhaps I was unclear. I had asked you to join me for coffee because I wanted to enjoy your company..." was that enough, he wondered? Her face looked shocked, but was still confused, her brow still knitted, "I didn't consider this a proper date," he continued, "But I did intend to ask you for one, though now, judging from the look on your face..."

Sakura could hardly believe what she was hearing. She opened her mouth to speak, closed it, then opened it again, willing herself to reply, but found that her tongue was stubbornly thick and heavy. As if by magic, she spotted the waitress hustling toward them with their order, tray balanced neatly on one hand, with an ashtray in the other and a knowing look at Shikamaru. At least now she would have a moment to collect her thoughts before responding to him while their order was delivered. She shifted her attention to the server as she arrived, smile and calm quickly drawn back to her face.

"Ah! This smells wonderful, thank you so much!" she exclaimed almost a little too enthusiastically.

"Thank you, Kira-san," said the young man, eyes on the ashtray. How had she known? He really could use a cigarette right now, but then again, he didn't want to spoil the effects the aroma of the freshly baked sweets seemed to be having on his companion. She had yet to reply, thanks to this interruption, and seemed genuinely relieved. Perhaps he had miscalculated after all. The thought was troubling, although not wholly unsurprising. He had, after all, come up with this plan on the fly after their walk to work this morning and thoughts of her had plagued him for most of the day... it was entirely possible that he had simply seen what he wished to see- interest on her part- as a result of his own desires. This wouldn't be the first time the strategist had been mistaken when it came to women and their emotional reactions. They were a variable that was on occasion, nearly impossible to predict. He reached for his cup of espresso, smiled and nodded at the waitress, and turned his gaze back to Sakura, feeling the sting of impending defeat as yet another tug (heartburn again?) tightened in his chest.

Sakura took her cup of espresso, set it on the coffee table before her, and methodically opened and dumped the contents of two sugar packets into it. She lifted the tiny espresso spoon and dipped it into the golden crema on the surface, admiring the color of the addictive liquid when brewed properly. Come to think of it, that golden brown was rather similar to the color of the pair of eyes she could feel watching her every movement as she did so. Eyes like two perfectly brewed cups of espresso, warm and dark. Why should this be so uncomfortable, then? Why let the old ghosts of nervousness and rejection, the fear of being thought annoying, awkward, unattractive, intimidating, unladylike, and the like ruin what potential there may be here?

Nara Shikamaru was lazy, perhaps. He certainly had that exasperatingly languorous manner of doing things, but hadn't she herself thought that it was because he was deliberate and thoughtful about where to expend energy? It was quite different from how she did things, sure, but they do say that in romantic relationships, balance is important, right? That he was an attractive man was completely undeniable. Tall, elegant in his own slouching way, with inky black hair always pulled into the signature ponytail high on the back of his head. Fine-boned yet masculine features, high cheekbones, perfectly angular jawline, and those sleepy eyes with the enviable lashes... all were worth staring at. She'd seen other women admire him as they walked together to and from work. She had even noticed him before, when they were young- though her thoughts then had always been focused on Sasuke. She shook off the thought and sighed. Sasuke was no longer an element. But Shikamaru... here he was. And despite the sort of undone quality of the interaction, it seemed he was saying that he liked her. Well then...

"Shikamaru, if you think _that_ qualifies as asking me on a date you're doing a poor job of it." She smirked as his eyebrows quirked up in surprise. "However, I will enjoy my coffee with you as of now, and give you an opportunity to make a better offer after we finish what we've already started here. It's rather odd to begin discussing the next outing when we've only just gotten our drinks now, don't you think?" Her confidence restored, she felt a different sort of warmth entirely as she looked at the man seated across from her. A man who was now clearly at a loss for words himself, though he looked quite pleased.

"Hn. You are very particular, you know," he replied casually. "I would have expected you to drink something all sweet and frothy and topped with whipped cream, like Ino does. But no-nonsense espresso, two sugars removed from their containers in exactly the same way, empty packages discarded methodically, spoon stirred counter-clockwise precisely seven times... one might think you were conducting surgery here."

"Ah. I see we're skipping any further discussion. Fine with me," she beamed. "I'm not particular, I just like things a certain way. When it's not done a certain way... it's... you know..." here she paused, deciding to abandon all pretense, "You're right. I'm very particular. Like you, I don't like to waste energy on things. Like whom I chose to spend my time with, for example." Sakura laughed. She could feel the spark of something beginning to happen, like electricity on her skin. He made her feel so- comfortable. And clever. Like she grew internally under his gaze.

Shikamaru watched her intently, smirking to himself. So this is what it was like to be on the receiving end of her admiration. Well Sasuke had really been an idiot. She was cheeky, and lovely, and her green eyes sparkled with mirth. Funny though, how quick the transformation had been. It was almost as if she had been arguing with herself, before blossoming under the attention he was paying her. As if somehow he was the sun warming her, and she had shaken off the frost of so many years of dwelling on her unpleasant past. Yes. This was exactly as he had hoped, while spending his morning contemplating the possibilities. Deer cells and their uses had most certainly been the furthest thing from his mind, and getting Shizune to send him out early and head to the Hokage's office was no simple task. Well worth it, to see this: Sakura in bloom.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

The conversation between them continued easily. Shikamaru wasn't one to talk idly, but Sakura had a manner of posing questions in such a way that he felt both enchanted and compelled to respond. She asked several questions about the progress and nature of his current lab work, gracefully connecting that to her own experiments, even suggesting that perhaps the flexibility of the cord blood cells could be put to use in an antidote she had found particularly troubling. On the surface, one could surmise that she was just cleverly planning to throw the Nara and herself together again. This however, was unlikely. For despite her immense cleverness and prowess in battle, amongst friends Sakura was purely and irrevocably sincere. Romantically, she was relatively inexperienced, so plotting to put herself in Shikamaru's way for that purpose was far from her mind. The same couldn't be said, however, for Nara. He had an ear for details, and due to his genius tactician status when it came to warfare, he sometimes had occasion to flex his ability to calculate in other arenas. Despite having ultimately deemed Temari of The Sand to be too masculine and domineering for his taste, he had experimented a bit with the effects his planning skills could have in the art of seduction.

Sakura was a wholly different case, though. He _liked_ her. He respected her as a friend and colleague, and had for quite some time. He had all but abandoned his childhood crush on her after watching her dance attendance on the Uchiha heir all throughout their academy days. There had been moments since, when he had felt the old feeling stir again- the first time he spotted her in full hospital gear, or the time he had failed as a mission leader and looked up into her eyes to apologize for not bringing back her precious Sasuke... but there had been something more recent, hadn't there? The first morning she fell easily into step beside him, slowing her pace a bit rather than hurrying him along to the medical tower, as Ino was often wont to do. Sakura could be bossy, and just as frightening as Ino at times. In fact, when you added in that superhuman strength, she was certainly even more intimidating than Ino at her worst. But Sakura seemed to save her ire for only the most appropriate times. Shikamaru was particularly grateful for her easy company, and having taken notice of her maturation into someone who could appreciate silence, who was skilled and calm in her power, he was intrigued. She would have to be handled a bit differently, he decided. Funny, how quickly his thoughts had turned to seduction, from only just acknowledging to himself his attraction to her this afternoon. Well, emotions were like that, weren't they? Fickle, fluid, unpredictable. This was why women were so dreadfully troublesome: they were ruled by emotion, even strong-willed kunoichi like Sakura. Even now, her effect on him was pleasant, but disruptive. He smiled to himself. He could hardly help it.

"Now what are you smirking to yourself about, Nara? I'm not sure there's anything funny about _inbreeding_," Sakura intoned in mock-seriousness. "Unless you're imagining the consequences don't apply to you at all, what with your clan's lack of female heirs?"

"Hm? No... I apologize, I was thinking about something else entirely. There's nothing funny about inbreeding, you're absolutely right," he replied, slowly dragging himself from his thoughts. He stretched his arms behind his head, arching his back and stifling a yawn.

Sakura eyed him, irked. "I'm sorry, am I boring you, Nara-san?"

"Oi, Sakura, no need to get feisty, woman. In case you haven't realized, we've been sitting here, on these very comfortable couches, for nearly three hours now. I'm always tired, sleep is one of my favorite pastimes as you well know, and I can assure you- you are far from boring." At his last line, Shikamaru's lips turned up into a genuine smile. It was warm, and sincere, and achieved his exact intention: Sakura was looking up at him now through her lashes, biting her lip, her cheeks flushed a lovely shade of pink. "In fact, I am really enjoying myself talking here with you," he added quietly. Even he was surprised by how direct that statement was. It was almost as if by saying it quietly, he hadn't expected it to be heard, but he'd been completely disarmed by the sweetness of her blush, and it had slipped out almost unconsciously.

Shikamaru wasn't one to generally be open with his thoughts that way, least of all towards the fairer sex. He was more than aware that they seemed to prefer a bit of mystery. In his dealings with women in the past, at least, in any kind of romantic way... well, was it fair to say romantic? Really, it had been more along the lines of sexual experimentation, actually... perhaps that was what was so telling. It was Shikamaru's turn to blush now. He was suddenly flying blind. He had romantic intentions when it came to this girl, this woman, across from him. It wasn't simply a physical attraction, it wasn't the lustful game of cat and mouse he had played with Temari. This was something more consuming, was affecting his ability to think, to strategize. He was not keeping his cool, aloof exterior, and he was perfectly aware that Sakura seemed to prefer that sort of aura in her love interests. He shook the thought and looked up, finding his gaze drawn into hers, her large green eyes open wide, the darker green outer ring of her iris mesmerizing.

She smiled. Really smiled. A spark of electricity seemed to pass through the air between them, jarring them both from the intensity of their locked eyes. The chemistry in the air was palatable. Sakura felt it, the heaviness of things as yet unsaid between them. Or could she be imagining things? Perhaps she'd had too much coffee? That could certainly explain how high-strung she was feeling. She distracted herself momentarily by glancing at her watch. It really had been nearly three hours- and yet the time had passed so quickly, it seemed. She sighed.

"I am glad you're enjoying yourself. I am too," she said, her smile waning, "But unfortunately, I have to get something to eat, all of this coffee has made me a bit jittery. I hope you don't mind? I'll have to be going." Her smile faded as she signaled the waitress for her check and dug into her bag. She hoped she hadn't sounded rude, but really, she was starving. The sweets had been wonderful, but now she was in need of real sustenance, and as much as she wished to continue her time in Nara's company, she assumed he would want head back to his apartment and get something to eat, or more than likely, go to sleep, as well. She didn't want to keep him hanging around just for the sake of being polite.

"I'm hungry as well, actually," Shikamaru found himself saying. "Would you care to join me for dinner, perhaps?" He wasn't ready to let go of her yet. He knew, somehow, that this could be interpreted as pushy, but they seemed so comfortable, so at ease just moments ago, and maybe that could be recaptured at dinner. That electric current was still crackling, unseen, in the air between them, and he found himself uncharacteristically anxious. "_Really_," he thought to himself suddenly, "This is perfectly _ridiculous_. Get ahold of yourself, you're acting like an overemotional _woman_, for Kami's sake."

Sakura was surprised, and despite the slightest hint of a spike in Shikamaru's chakra, his face was otherwise unreadable. It was almost as if he hadn't just casually asked her to dinner after sitting in a coffee house with her for hours. He looked almost bored, his hands folded in his typical posture behind his head, his gaze focused toward the coffee table before him. The waitress chose that moment to bring by the check, but before Sakura had even had a moment to reach for it, Shikamaru unfolded one arm and snatched it from the table quicker than the strike of a rattlesnake.

"I asked you to join me, it's my treat," he said evenly, by way of explanation. "And don't worry, I don't regard tacking on a dinner invitation as asking you on a _proper_ date either, Doctor Haruno."

Sakura laughed. The tension was broken, perfectly effectively, and Shikamaru relaxed. His composure regained, he tilted his head cheekily at her, awaiting her reply.

"Well, in that case, I'd love to join you for dinner, General Nara."


	6. Chapter 6

The evening had settled on Konoha, and it was one of Sakura's favorite times of day to walk the familiar streets. The sun's last rays were visible on the horizon, giving the sky a dusky shade of pink in the distance. She glanced over at Shikamaru, who had settled into that same leisurely pace that he usually kept, hands as always stuffed into the pockets of his Jounin pants. "This day has been such a surprise," she thought to herself. "I thought Naruto was the Number One Unpredictable Ninja." She felt herself smiling for what had to be the hundredth time. Being around Shikamaru, however unexpected, was exciting. It was interesting. It was easy. This felt... right.

She turned to him. "So? Where were you thinking about getting something to eat? I sincerely hope you weren't planning on Ichiraku Ramen. I mean, I like the place well enough, but Naruto drags me in there at least twice a week."

Shikamaru smirked. "Nooooo," he drawled, "And I figured we'd skip the barbeque joint Chouji, Ino, and myself frequent for the same reason. I was thinking along the lines of, well, do you still like soba?"

Sakura stopped in her tracks for just a fraction of a second, her shock clearly registering on her face, and her companion's notice, before the mask slipped back up again. She hadn't expected him to remember. She had mentioned, in passing, her newly acquired obsession with the soft and slightly sweet buckwheat noodles nearly three weeks ago. She'd tasted them at a small soba stand in the Hidden Rock Village in Earth Country while there on business with the Tsuchikage, having delivered a variety of antidotes for their hospital. The smells emanating from the little stand had drawn her in, despite never having had the dish before, and she was heartbroken when she returned home and realized Konoha as yet did not have any place that served it.

"But, where?" she sputtered, "I haven't been able to find a single restaurant in Konoha that serves soba noodles!"

Shikamaru smiled knowingly.

"Hn. I think I know of a place. It's in the east district, near the dango shop that the guys in code-breaking usually frequent after lunch. I noticed it when I was there with Ino's dad last week. I haven't actually eaten there myself, but..." he paused to take in the enraptured look on Sakura's face, smirking in satisfaction at having piqued her interest so completely.

"That sounds wonderful, let's try it! Have you had yakisoba before?" Sakura gushed, before he could finish. She looked around them eagerly. "That's only a few blocks away from here, isn't it? Let's go, I'm positively famished!"

In her eagerness, Shikamaru realized she had grasped his elbow, and was tugging him out of his leisurely pace to match her excited gait. Rather than find this sudden development bothersome, he felt a warm, pleasant feeling in his chest, and a sort of practiced ease at their contact. The electrical energy had almost disappeared, he realized. This connection was more familiar, more friendly. He would have to do something about that, he thought to himself. Already he found that the electrical current that ran between himself and the roseate medic-nin was a feeling he was fast becoming addicted to.

Sakura held on tightly to Shikamaru's arm, half-dragging him in the direction of the newly opened soba stand and the east district, past rows of shops and stalls, through a side alleyway and through the dim lights of a residential area. Soon they were rapidly transversing the east district, and before long, she could smell the heavenly scent of her quarry, and hear the soba noodle chefs calling out "Sooooooooo-ba!" to one another, indicating an order up. She smiled, a wide and genuine smile, and licked her bottom lip in anticipation, the gesture not at all lost on the man whose arm she was clinging to. Sakura, however, was singularly focused. They approached the stand, with it's low-hanging awning, and ducked underneath into the warm glow and heat of the narrow counter space and its five meager stools.

"Ah," she sighed, breathing in the smells, and taking note of the line of customers at the register beside her. She dropped Shikamaru's arm, and turned her gaze to him. "Did you want to grab a seat here? I didn't realize it was such a small space. We can always grab takeout, if you'd prefer."

"I don't mind eating here, but they don't serve alcohol... I was rather in the mood for a drink as well, if you were up to it," he replied, eyeing the busy stall. "You can place the order for takeout, and I'll grab some sake from the package store across the way?"

Sakura nodded absently, completely engrossed in the menu, and waved him off without asking his preference. He found he didn't mind much, however, and resolved to be quick with his purchase, in order to prevent her from attempting to pay. He stepped out of the stall, moved purposefully across the street, made his purchase of two bottles of sake, and was standing next to her again in line just as she was about to fish into her purse.

"I'll take care of this, thank you," he said, with a polite nod of his head to the cashier. Sakura looked up, blinking in surprise as she saw him hand the young man behind the counter some cash.

"Thanks Nara, you're quite the gentleman," she smiled, a hint of playfulness in her tone. "Are you going to let me continue to take advantage of your kindness this way? Coffee, sweets, dinner, and drinks now as well? I feel like I'm building up quite a tab."

He chose not to reply, simply taking the bag from her hands and gesturing out towards the sidewalk, a smirk characteristically in place.

"So," he said, after stepping up next to her, "Where shall we eat?"

Sakura hummed to herself, thinking it over, clearly a bit distracted in her hunger. The smell of the yakisoba was making her mouth water.

"My place?" she asked.

"We could," he replied, "I suppose, but isn't your apartment a few blocks from here? Mine is closer. We could head there. Chouji is supposed to be staying at Ino's for a few days to keep her company while her parents are out of town, I think. We would have the place to ourselves, and there's no risk of him helping himself to our meal."

Sakura giggled. "As if Ino needs someone to 'keep her company' while her parents are gone! Was that his explanation, or hers? She's shameless! Obviously there's more to that story." She continued to laugh. "Your place is fine, let's get moving though, I'm positively voracious!"

Shikamaru smiled to himself again. It was good fortune, that his best friend and food-focused roommate was otherwise occupied for the evening, even if he did think the story for his absence was a rather flimsy cover for what was clearly going on between his two former teammates. In fact, whatever it was had been going on for quite some time now, and why they seemed to think that the genius would remain oblivious was completely beyond him. It wasn't as if he cared in the slightest, he was happy that they had finally realized that there was a latent attraction between the two of them, and had been since they were preteens. Only Chouji was patient and resilient enough to tolerate the bullheaded bossiness of one Yamanaka Ino. The girl was practically a hurricane in that regard.

They turned in the direction of his apartment, Shikamaru allowing Sakura to grab ahold of his arm yet again to hurry him along. He liked the way her small hand, capable of such insane strength, looked when wrapping her thin, elegant fingers around his elbow. How could someone so utterly feminine be capable of such incredible brutality? And yet, these same hands were responsible for healing as well. Feats of healing that surpassed those of even the Godaime Hokage herself. "She really is remarkable," he muttered to himself.

"Who? Ino? I know!" bubbled Sakura, having heard him and assuming the previous statement of hers had been what prompted his remark. "She has been secretly harboring this thing for Chouji ever since the Spring Festival last year, when he won all of those carnival games for her and kept giving her all of those ridiculously huge stuffed animals. It was so funny. After that day, she kept making comments like, 'Have you ever noticed how incredibly _strong_ Chouji is? He's more like a bull or a Clydesdale horse than a butterfly...' or 'Brute strength is so attractive when it comes from someone so _gentle_, you know what I mean?' I could hardly keep from laughing, she was so obvious."

Shikamaru listened intently as she rattled on, appreciating that she hadn't caught that his comment was directed at her. There was time enough for compliments. As it was, they'd shortly be enjoying dinner and drinks alone in his apartment. This could afford him the opportunity to make his thoughts regarding her more than clear. As soon as he had them fully sorted out for himself, anyway.

A few moments passed in companionable silence, Shikamaru moving a bit more quickly, but Sakura's delicate fingers still wrapped securely around his arm. He led her into the foyer of his apartment building, holding the door open as he did so, and into the elevator. Only once they were inside the lift and he had pushed the button for the top floor did she let her hand drop.

"You boys have the penthouse apartment in this building? I didn't know that," she said softly, "I thought you lived on the fifth floor."

"We did, up until about a month ago," he replied. "I wanted a bigger place, with a better view. Chouji didn't mind- although he is hardly ever home to appreciate it anymore anyway. I think it's only a matter of time before he and Ino get a place of their own. She's made it more than clear that she's tired of being in her parent's compound. I think they're just worried about putting me out. Not that I don't know, or that I care, what they're up to. I'm happy for them."

The elevator opened into an elegant private hallway, and Shikamaru gracefully opened the door to the apartment and gestured again for Sakura to follow him. She stepped into the front room and stared around in slight awe, her hunger momentarily forgotten as she admired the tastefully appointed apartment. It certainly did not appear to be your typical bachelor pad in the slightest. Everyone knew both the Akimichi and Nara clans were wealthy, but this place far exceeded her expectations.

"Your building is so much nicer than mine," she murmured.

He cocked his head at her as he set the takeout bags and sake on the dining room table a few steps from them.

"It was recently redone. Your building is only three over from here, is it not? They're planning on refurbishing the rest of the buildings in this area as well, I thought. It wasn't nearly as nice a few years ago," he shrugged. "Make yourself comfortable, I'll grab us some plates. You want some sake as well, I assume?"

"Oh, um... yes. That would be nice," she replied softly. Sakura continued to gaze around the room as he slouched into what she assumed was his kitchen area, completely dumbfounded by how beautiful the apartment was.

It was a huge penthouse, with a large sunken living room and a wall of glass that overlooked the village. The furniture was all dark wood, as well as the floors, and the couches were a rich forest green leather. There was a large traditional low coffee table in the living room as well, with several floor cushions in slate grey fabrics of varying patterns, and above the couch was a painting of an elegant stag. Aside from a coat rack where a coat emblazoned with the Akimichi crest hung, there was very little indication that Chouji lived here at all. The place seemed to be completely Shikamaru's style.

The Nara sidled back into the room, holding a tray with the first bottle of sake and two cups, some plates and chopsticks, and smiled at the sight of Sakura's timid form, seeming lost in the apartment. Her hair, unnoticed by her, had begun to fall out of the messy bun she'd crafted in the coffeehouse. She looked lovely and was obviously a bit nervous.

"If you wouldn't mind grabbing the food, I thought we'd eat on the patio. It's a nice night, after all."


	7. Chapter 7

Sakura smiled hesitantly, and realizing her hair was falling down, flipped her head forward and pulled it into a high ponytail, somewhat similar to Shikamaru's preferred style, but with her longer bangs falling forward. Despite her slight unease, she steeled herself and shot him a flirty smirk.

"Right behind you, General."

Shikamaru canted his head, unsure what to make of the hair antics and smirking. He gestured this time to the hallway across from the kitchen area and pulled on what appeared to be a long tassel hanging from the ceiling, revealing a narrow pull-down ladder. He scrambled up easily, balancing the tray in his hand, and reached back toward his lovely companion in an effort to demonstrate, once again, his capacity for chivalry. Sakura, however, was unmoved. She smirked again from her spot at the base of the ladder and pointed to herself.

"Um, Shikamaru? _Ninja_. I think I can manage," she said saucily.

"Right, right. My mistake Doctor Haruno." He turned away, opening a small door to his right and passing through to the roof of the building.

Sakura followed easily, and was surprised when she looked around. Up here was a large wooden table, two long low wooden benches, several potted plum trees, and a series of archways with trellises of what smelled like jasmine growing over them. It was quite picturesque, really. Intertwined in the jasmine-covered arches were electric lightbulbs on strings, covered with tiny paper globes so as to mimic the traditional style lighting from the streets below. They cast a soft glow over the table, and Sakura couldn't help but think to herself that this setting was far preferable to the narrow soba shop and its five crowded stools. This environment definitely had a much more romantic feel to it. It made her wonder whether Shikamaru had feigned his sake craving altogether in favor of this more private venue.

"No... don't start thinking like that now, Sakura. He hasn't sent out signals that strong... just sit down and eat already, you're going to make a fool of yourself again..." she found herself thinking. Nervousness fluttered in her stomach, making her feel flushed and awkward. She sighed.

"Whoa, this is really beautiful! Did you and Chouji set this up, or was it like this when you moved in?" she found herself saying. Thankfully that carefully constructed mask was doing its job, pleasant small talk covering her internal insecurities.

Shikamaru deftly set down the tray on the table, took the bag of takeout from her hands, and began to serve out portions of food and sake for the both of them as he replied.

"The arches and benches are from Chouji's parents' compound. Ino planted the creeping jasmine, and the plum trees were my idea. I was thinking about trying my hand at fermenting some of the green plums, making some umeshu. Probably won't rival my father's though. The stuff he makes is excellent."

Sakura smiled, taking the cup of sake he proffered from his hand, brushing her fingers with his in the process. "I didn't realize you were such an enthusiast. Or that your dad brews his own umeshu. It's one of my favorites, but then, I like smooth and sweet." She immediately colored, realizing the potential double entendre. "Liquor- I mean... I like sweet liquors. Oh, um..." she trailed off then.

Shikamaru smiled at the blushing kunoichi and simply clinked his glass to hers. "Kampai to that, Sakura-chan."

She warmed at the use of the nickname and smiled back, her nervousness momentarily forgotten. "Kampai, Shika-kun."

The both knocked back their cups easily, and as the liquor slid down her throat and hit her empty stomach, Sakura was reminded once again of how incredibly hungry she was. She couldn't believe how distracted she was in the shadow-user's presence. They fell into a comfortable silence, beginning their meal. Sakura was doing her best to refrain from shoveling the yakisoba into her mouth greedily, but the task was proving rather difficult indeed. Shikamaru looked up to find her completely engrossed in her meal, a look of utter contentment on her face.

"Mmmmm," she hummed to herself, then sighed. "This is perfect. I've been thinking about this for weeks! So satisfying," she hummed happily to herself again.

Shikamaru couldn't help but think how those sounds, those sighs, those words, might be taken out of context. His chest clinched again, but he simply refilled their sake cups and brushed away the less-than-pure thoughts. She really had no idea.

Their meal continued in companionable silence. Although Sakura felt somewhat compelled to move the conversation along and discover what exactly had prompted this chain of events to begin with, she found herself a bit disconcerted as to how to go about it. No desire to make herself appear foolish, she decided allowing him to take the conversational lead was best. However, Nara, ever unreadable, was proving less than motivated to speak first himself. Perhaps it was the third cup of sake that broke the spell, but Sakura felt emboldened enough to be quite blunt.

"So, Shikamaru..."

"Hn?"

"I heard you were in Suna again a couple of weeks ago. Did you see Temari while you were there?"

"Eh? Hm," the corners of his mouth quirked up ever so slightly, "No, no, no Sakura-chan. You're going to have to get a bit better reacquainted with me before we start all of that."

"What?" she replied indignantly, "That's a perfectly normal question to ask a friend whom you've spent the entire afternoon, and now evening with!" She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Baka."

Shikamaru noted the beginnings of a drunken flush in her cheeks and held her angry gaze. "She looks adorable when she's worked up," he thought to himself with a smirk. "Better cool her off though, cute as it might be that temper can be dangerous. Redirect ought to do just fine." He crossed his arms slowly, mimicking her posture and smiled calmly at her.

"Ino mentioned you'd been spending some time with Kiba. She seemed to things were going rather well between the two of you. You hadn't mentioned anything about dating him, though. Is she mistaken?"

"We went out twice," she huffed, "I hardly call that cause for discussion. Of course, Ino can't resist any piece of gossip she can get her hands on... Kiba's... nice. I mean, I enjoy his company well enough... but I don't really see him as anything more than a friend. Besides, he's rather hands-y." She sighed. "It's an awful lot like trying to date a sexed-up brunette Naruto as well, we never seem to have much to talk about."

Shikamaru laughed at this. "A sexed-up Naruto? Oi. How troublesome for you."

"Yeah, well. So why ask me out if you thought I was dating Kiba?"

"Hm?" he poured himself another cup of sake, then gestured at her cup, indicating she should push it forward for a refill as well.

"I said, why did you ask me to coffee, and then dinner, if you thought I was dating Kiba? I mean, I know you two aren't the best of friends, but I mean..."

"Sakura?"

"Huh?"

"I told you that this wasn't a proper date, remember? Perhaps I was doing reconnaissance in order to determine my plans to actually ask you out," he replied smugly.

"Ah. I suppose that's possible. Then again, you and I have been spending a fair amount of time together walking to and from work, and those times would have been just as good as any to fish for a bit of information if that's what you wanted. I'm thinking this was more of a diversionary tactic because I asked about you and Temari. That's what I happen to think."

"Or perhaps I just desired your company, and the idea to thrust out a spontaneous invitation despite not yet knowing your true relationship status overtook my good senses," he deadpanned.

"Hm. I doubt it. But seeing as you're clearly not intending to answer my original question I guess I can assume that you _did _see her. So what's up with you two anyway? I mean, I'm pretty certain you weren't ever _really_ dating, but everyone else seems to speculate that you were, at least at some point."

"Ah-ah-ah, Sakura." He chuckled. "Not going to answer that."

"Fine." She scowled at him, then changed tactics completely. "What do you think of the yakisoba?"

"It's good. I could do with less mushrooms, but I like the noodles a lot," he replied. "I can tell you've been enjoying it immensely. How about the sake?"

"The sake is good, actually. Not as fancy as some of the stuff Tsunade-sama drinks, but then, she's an expert. There are definitely some benefits to being the more forgiving apprentice regarding her drinking habits," she giggled, "I get bribed with tastes quite often for neglecting to tell Shizune what she's up to."

"I can imagine. You must have developed an impressive tolerance level then," he grinned, pouring yet another cup for them both.

"Well, sure, but then of course, that's due largely in part to my chakra control as well. If need be, I can usually neutralize the alcohol in my system pretty quickly, if I overdo things. It's a lot like poison extraction, actually. There are many benefits to my medical knowledge. I can do almost anything with chakra."

"Anything, eh?" Shikamaru smiled suggestively, "Sounds interesting."

"Ugh, baka. That's not what I meant! Although, I suppose... well, I mean, not that I'd ever try... at any rate, I haven't... ugh. Pervert!" she cried, blushing furiously.


End file.
